Legendary reggae, jazz and soul specialist West London record shop, Honest Jons, have kindly supplied us with their phenomenal top 10 bass track recommendations.

1. Herbie Hancock – ‘Flood’ (Sony LP)

For the twenty minute version of ‘Hang Up Your Hang Ups’, live as life. Dazzling, raw, tearaway funk, with co-writer Paul Jackson on Fender bass, and Mike Clark, drums.

2. John Edwards – ‘Volume’ (psi CD)

Tremendous, free, solo improvisations on double-bass by the British player, from 2008. Wildly expansive, physical, intimate; plenty of surprises and good humour.

3. Unknown Artist – ‘Welcome To England’ (Out of Many, One People 10″)

Rudeboy drum and bass in the tradition of Congo Natty, detourning Ini Kamoze and Damian Marley into a dread survey of English urban break-down.

4. Kwaku Baah & Ganoua – ‘Trance’ (Island LP)

In between playing conga for Traffic and Can, ‘Reebop’ Baah collaborated on this dazed period-piece, in mid-seventies Tangier. It’s hard at the best of times for a recording to capture the vibrating bass of the Gnawan gimbri, but this has its moments, and compelling atmosphere, ahead of its time.

5. The O’Jays – ‘For The Love Of Money’ (Philadelphia International 12″)

Anthony Jackson! It’s got to be the long version, of course.

6. Yoshi Wada – ‘Earth Horns With Electric Drone’ (EM LP)

A concert recording from 1974, over three LPs. Home-made pipehorns — up to three metres long — combined with an electronic drone: ritual, hypnotic sound-sculpting, with a massive, shifting bum.

7. Knights Of The Turntable – ‘Fresh Mess’ (JDC 12″)

Thrilling, ebullient electro-hip-hop hybrid, cutting and scratching frantically over a Funkadelic sample and mean, fat bass-loop.

8. Winston Francis, Jackie Mittoo & Brentford Rockers – ‘Going To Zion’ (Music Lab 10″)

Sublime Studio One roots reggae. I was lucky enough to meet the bass-player Bagga Walker, when we were making the Soul Jazz documentary. He was so genial, and modest about his huge accomplishments.

9. The Nguni Sound – ‘South Africa And Swaziland, 1955, ‘57, ‘58’ (SWP CD)

From his home in South Africa, Hugh Tracey — son of a Devonshire doctor — travelled throughout southern, central and eastern Africa every year between 1948 and 1963, amassing his pioneering field recordings. I love the ill-wind singing on here, with low-down accompaniment on musical bow — spooked, in-your-ear, full of foreboding.

10. Duke Ellington – ‘Money Jungle’ (United Artists LP)

A trio album, with Charlie Mingus and Max Roach. ‘Les Fleurs Africaines’ is limpid and haunting, an all-time jazz classic, with magical bass-playing.